Campus News
December 9th, 2023
Nationally ranked Niagara ends GC run
Garrett’s five-game win streak snapped in loss to 11-0 Thunder Wolves
Jamestown, NY – It took an undefeated, nationally ranked women’s basketball team to end Garrett College’s five-game winning streak.
Niagara County Community College – ranked 14th in the latest NJCAA Division II national poll – pulled away in the middle quarters on the way to a 75-61 victory over the Lady Lakers Sunday morning in the Jamestown Community College Post-Journal Classic. Thunder Wolves reserve Rachel Kamrowski scored a team-high 14 points as Niagara improved to 11-0.
"I was very pleased with our effort and the way we stayed in the game," said GC head coach JT Lewis, whose squad fell to 5-3.
"They pressed the whole game – they went five [players] in, five [players] out," Lewis said of the deep and athletic Thunder Wolves, who were GC’s fourth opponent in five days. "It was the end of a long week, but I thought we really gave it a great effort."
Aleeya Silver scored a game-high 23 points while finishing with three assists and three blocked shots, but no other Lady Laker reached double figures. Gabriella Valentinetti (seven rebounds, three assists, two steals) scored nine points; Bayleigh Lamberson (game-high 10 rebounds) and Gianna Michaux (nine rebounds, team-high five assists) scored eight each.
GC played Niagara even until late in the second quarter. Michaux’s layup created a 30-30 tie with 3:03 remaining in the first half, but Faith Alessandra’s jumper started an 11-3 run to end the half that put the Thunder Wolves ahead to stay.
Reserve Krystal Smith scored 12 points and Alessandra added 11 for the Thunder Wolves, who got 46 of their 75 points from their bench.
Lewis was particularly pleased with Sunday’s performance as his eight-player squad competed well despite mounting injuries.
Janiya Burton has now missed the last three games with a knee injury, and Renee Timbers continues to deal with a nagging ankle injury. Meanwhile, Gabriella Valentinetti is contending with an abdominal injury suffered in a weight room workout.
"We’re a little banged up," acknowledged Lewis, who was pleased his squad was scheduled off for two consecutive days after the Niagara contest.
The Lady Lakers play at Montgomery College Wednesday (5:30 p.m.) and at Prince George’s Community College Saturday (noon).
Garrett 62, Jamestown 41
Jamestown, NY – GC blew out to a 13-0 lead and held the Jayhawks to just one first-quarter field goal while building a 15-4 cushion Saturday as the Lady Lakers won their fifth straight.
Aleeya Silver notched game highs in points (17) and steals (four) while also pulling down seven rebounds. Manuela Perez de Castro scored 12 points and Renee Timbers added 10 to join Silver in double figures for Garrett.
Reserve Hasana Akinloye had nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds for Garrett.
"Hasana gave us a great spark off the bench with her rebounding," said GC head coach JT Lewis.
Grace Lundmark scored 13 for JCC, but was the only Jayhawk to reach double digits.
Garrett 82, No. Va. 60
McHenry, MD – Aleeya Silver (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Bayleigh Lamberson (15 points, 10 rebounds) each notched double-doubles Thursday night as the Lady Lakers rolled to a dominating NJCAA Division II Region 20 victory.
Gabriella Valentinetti finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists for the Lady Lakers.
"Gabby did a great job of making plays for other people," GC head coach JT Lewis said of Valentinetti’s passing. "And Bayleigh also stepped up for us."
Garrett 85, PSC 71
Keyser, WV – Aleeya Silver (seven rebounds, four assists) scored a team-high 21 points and reserve Gianna Michaux added 18 points and a team-high 11 rebounds last Thursday as the Lady Lakers won a key regional contest against their traditional rival. Manuela Perez de Castro (13 points), Janiya Burton (10 points, nine rebounds), Gabriella Valentinetti (nine points), and Renee Timbers (eight points) also contributed to a balanced GC attack.
Chelcie Forrester scored a game-high 24 points and Talynn McDonald added 18 for PSC, but no other Lady Catamount cracked double digits.
